Raytheon Aircraft has been awarded FAA certification for its new Premier I six-passenger, entry-level business jet.

The company has more than 300 of the Premier I business jets in its order book and is preparing for a delivery rate of up to 60 per year. Raytheon Aircraft expects to deliver up to 36 of the new jets this year, with initial deliveries beginning in the second quarter.

“The certification of the Premier I marks a new era in business jet technology and customer value,” said Hansel Tookes, Raytheon’s chairman and ceo.

“The Premier I is the most advanced entry-level business jet in the world.”

The $5.3 million Premier I, Raytheon Aircraft’s first all-new business jet from original design, is the first in a series of new-technology business jets being introduced by the company. This new family of business jets features Raytheon’s signature all-composite fuselage and a swept aluminium wing design.

A spokesman said: “These advances in aircraft design and construction provide the Premier I with the fastest cruise speed and largest passenger cabin in its class, similar to a more expensive light jet, but at an entry-level price. The Premier I is the first composite-fuselage business jet to be FAA certified.”

The Premier I has a high-speed cruise of more than 520 miles per hour.

A standard-equipped aircraft with full fuel, a pilot and four passengers has a range of more than 1,650 miles and is certified to operate up to 41,000 feet.